Religion

Truth Through Personality

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

Personality Face2Phillips Brooks’ was considered one of the great “princes of the pulpit” in the nineteenth century.  Perhaps his most lasting legacy were his Yale lectures on preaching in which he defined preaching as the “communication of truth through personality.”

Brooks was no pulpit performer.  He was a shy man who spoke rapidly, had a stiff delivery style and poor eye contact.  Yet he drew the crowds.  He was meticulous in his study of the biblical text.  He spoke conversationally and had a distinct sincerity and intensity, despite his evident shyness.  He cared about his listeners and developed relational bonds with them.

So he was no pulpit performer.  He wasn’t trying to sanctify his own style of preaching with a definition when in reality he simply wanted to affirm his own personality.  Rather, he was convinced that preaching is a communication act in which a person is involved.

I do wonder whether we all grasp this simple reality.  I am not saying that anyone needs to perform or be something they are not.  What I am saying is that if the personality of the preacher does not offer something of the gospel, then maybe they should reconsider their passion to preach.  That is, you can be shy or extraverted, humourous or serious, loud or quiet, demonstrative or reserved.  Be yourself, however…

However, none of these elements of a preacher’s style are what I am concerned with.  It is those preachers who preach as if only their declaration of truth matters.  They seem not to care if their manner is bombastic, or arrogant, or sarcastic, or sharp-edged, or ungracious, or dour, or harsh.  I believe we should all care.  These are not issues of personal style.  These are issues of personal character.  And if the gospel has not marked our character and personality, why are we stepping into the pulpit to preach the gospel to others?

This week I would like to probe some of these issues of character and personality.  I am not suggesting we perform, that would be bordering on deceitful.  I am suggesting that we have personal and personality integrity.  Where we don’t, we undermine the very message we claim to be called to declare.

Attention! Unseen Forces

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To finish off this series on attention, there is one more thing we need to consider.  We’ve looked at the importance of having the listener’s attention if you want them to hear your message.  We’ve considered appropriate ways to pursue attention for the message, and some inappropriate ways to undermine your preaching while pursuing attention.  But is it really just about you and the listeners?  Or are there other forces at work?

In one sense it doesn’t matter what else is going on, you need to take responsibility for preaching well in order to engage the listeners effectively.  At the same time, it would be naive to ignore some of these factors:

1. Life Circumstances of Listeners.  You probably don’t know a fraction of what is going on in their lives.  Have they been struggling to sleep?  Do they have a medical condition that is weighing on them, or even influencing their focus without them even knowing it?  Are they in the midst of great inner turmoil?  Hopefully the message will engage and offer the hope of Christ in the worst of circumstances.  But it is feasible that you may struggle to grab attention, no matter what.

2. Environmental Factors.  Seating designed by a someone shaped like a cardboard box.  A distracting draft of cold air.  Oppressive and tiring heat.  A wasp.  A stationary police siren outside.  A light aircraft crashing into the church building. An earthquake.  Some things are hard to overcome.

3. Spiritual Warfare.  Have you ever noticed that often at a very crucial point in a message, right when the crux of the gospel is going to be declared, a baby will start to cry, a fight will break out, a siren will drive past, etc.?  Sometimes we need to be reminded that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but unseen forces.  We don’t need to dwell on them, but recognize that the enemy knows  a distracted listener is not really a listener at all.

Attention Seeking Behaviour

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

Without the attention of the listeners, our preaching is going into thin air.  God may recognize faithfulness, but He can’t be delighted by ineffective preaching when He is so concerned to get the attention of the listeners.  So there are lots of ways to pursue attention.  Yesterday we considered some of the important and helpful approaches.  Today I’d like to offer some approaches of which we should be wary.  There may be occasion for some of these in some manner, but typically let’s treat these as suspicious short-cuts.

1. Shock and Uh?  If you want to get the attention of the listeners, say something outrageous, perhaps even offensive.  They may be shocked, look up and say, “uh?”  You’ll have their attention.  But you may also have their backs up, their radar going into overdrive and their distaste for you as a person profoundly stirred.  Some preachers seem to take no small delight in “breaking the rules” (whatever that means) by being inappropriate in the pulpit.  It gets attention, and it will get feedback (and that which comes to your face may be positive: sometimes out of politeness, sometimes delight from an immature listener excited to see an apparently immature person in a position of influence.)  But this short-cut also undermines your preaching on multiple levels.

2. SHOUT!  Vocal variation is a good thing.  But shouting does come across as a bit desperate in most situations.  There are moments where shouting may be thoroughly appropriate.  But when shouting doesn’t fit the content, but is simply a means of waking up the old sleeping gent in row four or the distracted youths at the back, then it probably doesn’t achieve enough to warrant the negative reactions some will feel when shouted at without warning.

3. Sensational Content.  I’ve already referred to the sensational shocking stuff of tabloid preaching above.  But sometimes people seem to try to combine doctoral level original thought with shoddy journalism to come up with something nobody has ever said before about a passage.  Don’t.

4. Silly Gimmicks.  I remember watching in perplexed confusion as a preacher decided to throw packets of ketchup around the platform.  It did rouse me from my semi-slumber, but the benefit was greatly outweighed by the perplexity generated by a gimmicky move gone flat.

5. Demanded Attention.  Insisting in an authoritarian tone that people should listen does come across as totally desperate.  Win their attention, don’t change the rules of life and demand that they listen.  Asking people not to distract others may be appropriate.  Telling them they are obligated to listen to you isn’t.

Anything you’ve seen and would add?

Attention! Strategy…

/ Peter Mead / 6 Comments

If you haven’t got the attention of your listeners, then they aren’t really listeners, and you’re not really preaching to them.  I know there are all sorts of factors influencing the preaching event, and we’ll probe some of those later in the week.  But to be super simple, here’s a principle we should all take on board:

People listen if they want to, so make them want to . . . 

How can we do this?

1. Relevance.  I think the preacher needs to prove as early as possible that the preacher, the message and the passage is relevant to the listeners.  Introduction is critical here.  But then there needs to be a continual re-proving of relevance throughout.  Don’t leave “application” until the last few minutes, they probably won’t be with you by then.  Demonstrate relevance all the way through.  This includes lots of factors, but the content is critical.  Historical lecture, theological diatribe, rant against them out there, etc., are all felt to be irrelevant to listeners in the church setting.  Speak to us.

2. Interest.  When the content is interesting, people are more likely to pay attention.  Never bore people with the Bible.  Be interesting.  Does that mean we rush to our illustration sources?  Hang on.  The Bible is interesting.  Too many preachers preach dull Bible enlivened by interesting anecdotes and stories.  This may be less dull preaching, but it is not interesting biblical preaching.  Communicate the content well, and use explanations, proofs, applications, when they are genuinely helpful.  Make sure the core of the content is interesting.

3. Accessibility.  If it is completely over their heads, they won’t listen.  If it is patronizing and trite, they will get annoyed and also stop listening.  Make it appropriately accessible for the level of those present.

4. Energy.  Getting attention has a lot to do with delivery as well as content.  Your energy matters.  When we stand in front of a crowd, our natural instinct is to become limited.  Seek to break out of that monotonous box and be yourself with appropriate energy for the occasion and your personality.  This means eye contact, facial expression, vocal variety, movement and gestures.  If you are enthused and have an appetite for it, they have a chance of catching it.  If you don’t have the disease, you’ll struggle to be contagious.

5. Warmth. Energy in delivery is not about a show or a performance.  It is about the real you communicating with them.  One key ingredient is your personal warmth.  If you come across as cold, they won’t lean in to what you are saying.  Simple.  Represent the gospel in your manner and tone, as well as in the precision of your content.

6. Spirituality.  People can sense when you have the spiritual gravitas that comes from being with Jesus.

More to add, but I’ll leave it there.  Tomorrow we’ll consider some of the illegitimate approaches people take to get attention.

 

Attention! Whose Responsibility?

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I remember, as a child, times when the preacher would rebuke distracted youths at the back of the church.  They were in church, so they should be listening.  Times may have changed a bit, but I suspect there is some confusion coming into play here.

The “should” is probably to do with how they should act toward others.  That is, it seems reasonable to expect people (whatever their age), to act in a manner that is not unloving and distracting to others when in a setting like a church meeting.  But is the onus on the listener when it comes to giving attention to the message?  On the one hand we have the argument from the parable of the soils in Mark 4 – the only variable in that parable is the state of the soil, representing the “listening” of the heart.  So there is a biblical concern for the responsibility and responsiveness of the listener.

On the other hand, the best teachers and preachers will always accept that a significant responsibility rests with them.  If you preach and people are thoroughly distracted or bored or miles away or disengaged, don’t pray for God to smite the listeners.  Pray for God to strike you with lightning or whatever it will take to be more engaging as a communicator!

I remember hearing of one now famous student of Howard Hendricks who wanted to test the Prof’s commitment to the importance of attention.  If you don’t have their attention, you can’t teach them.  So the Prof was a master of grabbing and holding attention.  So this student decided to test this.  He sat at the back, looked out of the window and resisted all inner urges to pick up his pen and take notes.  Hendricks seemed to sense he didn’t have one person with him, so he did all he could – another gripping story, bigger movement, stronger passion, etc.  Finally he snapped and stormed to the back of the class demanding to know what was so fascinating outside.

Most lecturers in higher education seem happy to get through their material whether the students engage with the drone or not.  Many preachers are the same.  But the best teachers, and the best preachers, know that you cannot teach anyone anything unless you first grab and hold their attention.

Let’s probe both the good and the bad ways to do that in the coming days . . .

Providence and Preaching 4

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This week we have thought about how God’s providence actually works in the lead up to preaching a message.  This isn’t the same as looking for direct revelation to supersede Scripture.  But neither is it the same as living in a personal bubble, oblivious to God’s Spirit at work in the days before preaching.  So we’ve thought about interactions, and pieces of information, and different perspectives.  Here’s another one that may be the most common of all:

Unexpected discouragement may be a great blessing – I’m sure you’ve tasted of this experience.  You are flying high in the approach to a preaching opportunity.  You can’t wait to go give ’em Jesus.  Then discouragement strikes.  Surely it would have been better to preach in the adrenaline of the “in the zone” moments you had the day before, or earlier that morning?  Maybe not.  Why not trust God and take it as a divine invitation to lean more fully on God?

There are almost countless examples of this:

a. Criticism – it can be direct and aimed at your ministry, or it can be disconnected but deflating.  It is not the false size of an inflated ego that makes good preaching, but dependence on Him.

b. Relational Tension – every preacher / parent knows that children are harder work on Sunday morning than any other day of the week, sometimes their other parent is too!  Don’t leave familial tension unresolved to build (sometimes there may only be time for commitment to fix later), but don’t let it wipe you out either.  Prayerfully crawl back to the one who understands why relationship matters so much and can hurt so deeply.  Perhaps anticipate causes of tension in the home and pre-empt a little too!

c. Sickness – it doesn’t take a terminal diagnosis to knock the stuffing out of our zeal to preach.  Colds, sore throats, bugs and ailments.  They do seem to like Saturdays and Sunday mornings!

d. Spiritual Warfare – All of the above, and other things too, can be part of the spiritual battle in which we are engaged.  But again, remember, even a direct attack of the enemy can be, and should be, a blessing.  Our God is greater and our increased lean God-ward should only help our ministry!

Providence and Preaching 3

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Last time we thought about the potential value of unsolicited information.  Perhaps we shouldn’t be so “in the zone” that we become blind to God’s providence at work.  Let’s take another example:

Unknown perspective on the passage may be critical – This probably shouldn’t come through lack of good exegesis and study, although it might.  So let’s think about that first, then come at it from another angle.

Good preparation should involve not only good accurate study, but probing study that comes at the passage from multiple angles.  It is good to think through how people may misinterpret it, or mis-hear you.  It is good to ponder the various theological and philosophical positions in your group of listeners (even if they don’t know what their theological and philosophical presuppositions may be, you should have a fair idea!)  So while it may take only so long to grasp the meaning of a passage, let’s study for so long plus a bit to ponder the potential alternative perspectives, even if the alternative is built on a flawed approach or biblical background.

Another approach is to proactively pursue varied input from others before preaching.  Having grasped the main idea of the passage, offer that to others and see what they do with it.  Hear the perspective of others.  You can do this with commentaries, of course, but why not go for real humans too.  A friend who knows the Word can be a real blessing, but don’t overlook interaction with someone who seems to be less informed.  The interaction with one or with a purposely-formed group can be so significant.  Better to hear that you are off target, or shallow, or misfiring, before you stand and deliver.

So the issue may be one of exegesis, but as we’ve already hinted, it could be with reception too.  You may fully grasp the import of a passage and get the meaning very accurately.  But how will people misunderstand the message?  This is why we cannot prepare a perfect message in the solitude of a study.  We need some interaction in general, and it wouldn’t hurt before this next message.  It isn’t just accurate exegesis that you pursue, but effective communication to others.  Their preconceived notions can be massively significant – if you know them ahead of time.

Providence and Preaching 2

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In my last post I wrote about the issue of interrupted “zone-ish-ness” – that is, what happens when we are in the zone for a sermon and something comes out of nowhere and knocks us so that we wobble?  I say let’s learn to trust God’s providence and become better preachers.

Here are some thoughts to probe the notion further:

Unsolicited information may be pure gold – One of my most creative sermons was never preached.  Probably a good thing, too.  I had this great idea to preach Ezekiel 16 from another room.  That is, it would just be a voice speaking out to the gathered people, perhaps in low lighting.  The idea was developing nicely, and then the chap giving the church announcements made the suggestion that people might like to bring their friends along to that particular event.  Uh?  No!  Oh wait, perhaps the creativity was a little off target anyway.  I’m glad I didn’t preach that without thinking through the very real possibility that guests would be present (announcement or no announcement).

Hearing just before standing up to preach that such and such a person is present, and is struggling with this or that harsh reality . . . this can be pure gold information.  Suddenly a message that was true and good can become targeted and precise.  It does involve prayer and a bit of thinking in the final minutes before preaching, but perhaps that is exactly what the message needed?  I know I was planning a message recently and it was a bit flat.  A comment from my wife about a conversation she’d had could have sent me spinning, but instead I thank God for that piece of information – it reshaped the message for good.

I remember finding out as I stood up to preach a 20-25 minute message that it had to last exactly 65 minutes.  Not sure I did so well there, but maybe someone listening needed the extra repetition and reinforcement that they got as a result!

There are many times when we find out information a bit later than we might have preferred.  It could be about the listeners.  It could be about the church.  It could be about the passage (hopefully not).  Whatever it is, let’s be leaning on God and trusting Him to be providentially in charge, since, after all, He is.

Providence and Preaching

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In the past I have repeatedly challenged us to be diligent in grasping the meaning of the text and preaching that message.  What we can make it say is not as good as what God made it say.  Part of this is a high view of Scripture and the need for society to be reached and church to be fed with the Word of God.  At the same time, I have warned of the danger of implying or relying on direct revelation from God.  Many people will drop the Bible as a primary resource in the face of an offer of direct hotline info from above.

But does this mean that God is not involved in the preparation process and in preaching?  Not at all.  Over recent months I have been struck by God’s providence in anticipation of preaching.  Where in the past I might have been flustered or annoyed by something, now I seem to be more sensitive to the possibility of God working all things together for good, even in preaching.

Let me explain, and then we can probe the thought in other related areas:

The unexpected interaction is not a distraction.  In the past I would head toward preaching with an “in the zone” mentality.  As the message drew nearer, I would become more and more focused.  There’s a lot to be said for that.  Not least, prayerfulness is entirely an appropriate feature of pre-preaching days.  But in that “zone” I would sometimes get annoyed (maybe only internally, but still annoyed, nonetheless), at interactions that seemed to confuse my “zoneliness.”

It could be a comment relating to someone who will be at the service.  It could be a query of my view of the forthcoming, or the preceding message.  It could be any number of things.  Careful, don’t knock my “zone-ish-ness!”

But actually, I have grown to see how God has providentially provided help on many occasions through these means.  A sensitivity to a different type of listener.  An awareness of a potential misunderstanding.  An opportunity to be slightly more on target.  An opportunity to connect that little bit more.

I was preaching a series some time ago and after one message I was asked a very direct question.  I might have been annoyed that the person asking didn’t know better, but prayerful consideration prompted me to a clearer understanding and explanation.  I answered the question in the next message.

He thanked me for clarifying.  I should have thanked him.  I thanked God.